EN
The paper presents the results of XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) experiments, of the high-temperature superconductors of Y-Ba-Cu-O-type carried out at the Cu L_{II,III}- and O K_{I}-edges using synchrotron radiation and the KMC double monochromator and SX-700 grading monochromator beamlines of BESSY/Berlin synchrotron storage ring. The aim of the paper is to show that the XANES studies are well suited for characterization of the local electronic structure of the high-temperature superconductors.